Moe, moe, kyun!

Clothed in a black and white puffy dress, a white frilly apron is tied round my waist. There’s a black ribbon pressed against my neck and too many others according to me, as well as a lacework headband.

“Every man dreams of seeing cute maids! His heart will be yours, trust me.”

     These were the words of Niji when he suggested me to buy this outfit. He seemed quite sure of himself.

“…”

“…”

     Neither Marygold Leafeyorb nor I say a thing for long seconds before, at last, he opens his mouth. Though it is only to close it the following moment, seemingly repressing a possible comment or question.

“Are you… ready to go outside Miss Andersen?”

     As the director finally decides himself to speak, I nod to him.

“Are you sure?”

     I nod again despite the strange insistence in his tone.

     For a few seconds he remains silent, showing nothing but his usual smile.

“Well. In that case, let’s go without further delay.”

     I join his side, and we head through the corridors to the closest elevator. This let me remind of a question that has grown up in my mind since he invited me for a dinner outside. I have to be sure of this point.

“Shouldn’t I… stay inside Amahara Corporation?”

“You’re worried because no one is allowed to go outside during the testing period?” Mr Leafeyorb glances at me. “Don’t. As long as you stay with me, it would be okay. I will be watching you. So, stay within my field of vision, would you?”

     When we leave the building, we follow the main alley, straight to the thoughts’ stream.

“We are going to the city centre. Since you are not very familiar with Ōnomori, I advise you to think about going to the same place as me.”

     Before we step in the path gleaming in a light shade of blue, the director extends a hand towards me, words soon following his gesture.

“Take my hand, it will be more safe.”

     I glance down at it. The occasion to follow Aki’s advice is right before my eyes. But isn’t this a bit too easy?

“Miss Andersen?”

     Never mind. There is no point to dwell on this case.

     Reaching out my own hand, I softly press his against mine.

“Good.” the director adds before stepping in the path.

     As soon as we walk on it, the bluish lines running along the path glisten in a more vivid way and our silhouettes waver before losing their unity, dividing into swarms of particles. Guided by an intangible current, we vanish.

     It is hard to describe what I feel whenever in this state. Mostly because it is always too brief to feel anything clearly, but also because the sole thing remaining is my mind. I think… I simply can’t “feel” anything.

     Streets, buildings merge together as my particles whizz by.

     The next instant I shape back, stepping out of the thoughts’ stream. The place is quite busy, many shops being in a fairly reduced area. One of the few places where so many people still gather.

     By my side, Marygold Leafeyorb takes a look around before releasing my hand. Slowing down, I take a look at my palm.

“Does it really count?”

     Unfortunately, Aki is not here so I can’t ask her point of view. Though…

“Please come, follow me Miss Andersen.” Mr Leafeyorb stops, waiting for me to join him.

     As I listen to him, matching his pace while we walk through the animated place, the director turns his attention to our surroundings rather than on my presence.

     …Though I don’t feel like things are any different. The director is considerate but I feel like he is still out of reach. What should I do? I am almost out of resources.

“Here is an excellent restaurant, shall we?”

     I take a look at the frontage. A simple one on which are projected images of koi carps swimming in circles towards each other. I can see beyond the window that the interior is elegant.

     Gazing back at the director, I softly catch the end of his sleeve and pull slightly to signify it is a good idea.

     There is not much people inside, it is a peaceful place.

     As we sit in the back of the room, I strengthen my resolve. It is merely the beginning of the evening. I still have time to find out a way so we get closer.

“Were you able to integrate well into the research group?” Marygold Leafeyorb asks.

     I nod.

     A moment of silence.

“I hope the food will be to your taste.”

     I nod.

     A moment of silence.

“That will not do it.” I firmly think, realizing the difficulty of the task.

     As I lower my head, our plates materialize before our eyes on the table. Like most restaurants nowadays, excluding a few purists, the dishes and drinks are automatically chosen and what we would wish to eat is prepared and served remotely.

     I contemplate my dish – a buri sashimi – for a long time. It appears I have no other way than to talk to the director. But what should I say? I don’t have habits of doing so. Should I ask him a question in return? Which one? Should I compliment him? I have no words.

“Enjoy your meal!”

     His voice makes me raise my head, and I smile faintly at him. Glancing at his bowl, I try to guess what it may be. A rich soup with eggs, a scent of fish…

“It’s an oden. A kind of stew.”

“Enjoy it.” I whisper faintly.

     The director was right. It really is an excellent restaurant.

     The mochis are delicious as well, though I am the only one to have wished for a desert as it seems.

     Once we have finished I want to pay for us, unfortunately the director is faster to get understood as he asks orally.

“I have proposed you to join me tonight, so please let me do it Miss Andersen.”

     As we leave the restaurant, I realize the moment we spend together is about to end without me being able to achieve anything. If I spoke as much as ordinary people, I would not have this kind of difficulties. Is it… a weakness of mine, after all?…

     Staring at the ground, I simply follow Mr Leafeyorb. As he stops to give information to a passerby, I stand a step behind him.

     A pressure against my wrist.

     I barely have the time to perceive a hand around my wrist before I am dragged away.

***

“And don’t let me catch you leaving the cafe during service again!” A woman scolds me, pointing a finger at me. “Really… A maintenance wouldn’t hurt you.”

     A woman, or more precisely a robot designed as one. She is the one who dragged me in there. A place filled with cute tables and chairs, with cute patterns on the walls and… cute maids wherever I look.

     I can’t decide whether to correct her about the fact I am not working here, or about the fact I am not a robot.

“…”

     She sighs to my lack of reaction before… letting me there. She simply leaves, returning to her own work.

     I blink, holding my hands intertwined against my puffy skirt. That… is not really the kind of situations I expected to be involved in someday.

“Sorry? There’s a fellow master that wishes you to serve him.” A timid voice calls, patting my shoulder from the tips of her fingers.

“…?”

     When she sees my questioning expression, the young maid with red curly hair directs me towards a table and gently pushes me from behind towards it.

     Taking a few forced steps until I regain my balance, I stop in front of a table at which a young man with silver eyes is sitting.

“I look away for a moment and that is what happens. Well, well.” Marygold Leafeyorb amusedly remarks.

     I unseal my lips before realizing all I have as an argument is that this wouldn’t probably have happened if a parrakeet didn’t insist on choosing my outfit. Which is why I refrain from saying a thing.

“Since we are here, what do you want me to do? Explain the situation or kidnap you?”

     A large smile upon his face, he awaits my answer. I press my hands tighter against my apron.

“No…”

“No?”

“Tell me what you wish to eat.”

     At this moment, I know if we now leave nothing more will happen. We will return to Amahara Corporation like nothing happened.

“I didn’t expect this.” The director frowns. “Well, since you are the one asking… okay. Let me have some delicious pancakes then.”

     His elbows against the table, his hands intertwined, he lowers his chin against them as I turn my back to him, aiming to the kitchen.

     While waiting for the order to be ready, I take a moment to remember what Niji has shown me earlier in the afternoon. When he forced me to watch these maid videos… I did not think it would be of such great use. And yet…

     It takes only a couple of minutes before I head back to Mr Leafeyorb’s table, holding securely the plate of fluffy pancakes accompanied with fresh strawberries.

     I know that at this precise moment I have all his attention. Putting the plate on the table, I know this is the moment.

     I breathe in deeply.

     Holding a whipped cream bag, I slowly approach it to his plate and start pressing the bag.

“Become delicious… Become delicious…”

     Whispering in a soft tone, repeating what sounds like an ancient magic spell, I finish tracing perfectly drawn cat’s head and hearts shapes upon the fluffy pancakes.

     There is one last part to it…

     Putting down the whipped cream bag, I raise my hands and join my fingers to imitate the shape of a heart first above my shoulder, then moving it as I whisper…

“Moe… Moe… Kyun…~”

...to punctuate each of my words, placing a second heart on the other side, near my waist. And a third one just above my own heart, sending it forward.